The G.I. Joe cartoon was a popular kid’s television show—this movie isn’t a kid’s show. The special ops team hits the big screen in its full-flesh glory bringing superb action and a story line with a couple of twists.

The screen play was written by Stuart Beattie and directed by Stephen Sommers. They took the Hasbro figures and created a story about a double-crossing Scottish arms dealer who creates a nano-bot weapon that can tear through tanks and demolish some of the world’s landmarks, including the white house. A subdivision of the military, G.I. Joe, gets wind and rushes to stop the terrorists and his cohorts. While leaving the audience on the edge of their seat with the feeling that the Pennsylvania Ave. residence would be nothing more than a memory, Beattie tells the back story of Snake Eyes (Ray Park) who modeled the quiet, Zen-like soldier perfectly.

At first glance it appeared Duke (Channing Tatum) would be the pretty boy who would save the day—he did. His action scenes, like the Paris street chase was some of the best. Jumping over buses and saving Scarlett (more about that later) made him the great “American hero.” However, his story had heart and wasn’t the run-of-the-mill ‘I’m the hero, let me get the girl.’ He was once in love with a woman before he was shipped off to war but she has moved on, in a more sinister way.

The supporting cast with lead wingman Ripcord (Marlon Wayans) had some of the best lines and complimented the more serious Duke. At one point in the movie, they receive special armor that will allow them to have near-super human abilities. Being advised to be careful with the expensive equipment, Ripcord promises and falls out the side of the van and then gets hit by a car and then jumps through a bus. His action was just as great as Duke’s; a Nighthawk aircraft chase scene with all the twists and up-side down camera angles was mind boggling.

A small side story of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow provides a nice escape while still being integral to the movie. Who wouldn’t want to see these two sword wielding bad asses battle it out?

Being a stickler for the female roles in movies, there were some positives and some negatives. To start with the good news; the Baroness (Sienna Miller) was one femme fatale. She was the strong, death dealer that movies need. She went toe to toe with Duke and spear headed the plan to detonate the nano-bot war heads. It was surprising to see Miller turn that dark and deadly. However, the only female on team Joe was Scarlett (Rachel Nichols) who had all the potential to be just as hard hitting as the Baroness but only had two good parts; a fight with the Baroness and a cool motorcycle chase which turned out to be a ‘Channing saves the day,’ plot device. She is good enough to be on the G.I. Joe team, but needs to be rescued?

All in all, if one is an adrenaline junky and wants to get their fix, G.I. Joe is the type of movie that gives one the urge to karate-chop the next Cobra cardboard cutout at the theatre.

By: Derek Roper, Staff Writer.  Comments may be sent to roderek1@umbc.edu